Journal of a Champion
by Under-Hermione's-Spell
Summary: Following the events of the game through the eyes of Avery, a mage that is over-confident, stubborn, sarcastic and protective. Eventual F!Hawke and Isabela. Rated M for language and minor sexual content. Read and review. Spoilers for Downloadable content.


**A/N: Hey everyone. It's been awhile but I've been going through a rough patch but I'm back. I'm taking a break from my Merrill/F!Hawke story and working on other ones. Not all the quotes or the time line will be exactly like the game. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Bioware are the rightful owners. Please don't sue me! T_T **

The Blight had been released onto my home village of Lothering. Everyone else in the village had fled but not my family. We had to wait for my younger brother to return back from Ostagar where he was battling in King Cailan's army. I paced back and forth, impatient and nervous, fearing for my family's life.

My sister and mother were holding each other as I forced myself to stop pacing. "It's been three days. We should go before get caught in the Horde," I stated firmly to my mother.

"We cannot just abandon your brother, Avery. He is the only one that could protect us through the Horde," she answered with a sharp glare.

I felt anger flow through my body. Carver and Bethany had always been Mother's favorite, even though I was only a year older than them. Don't get me wrong. I love my sister but my brother is a completely different story. He and I have never gotten along, nor him and Bethany. It must be because we're mages and we spent a lot of time with Father before he past on three years ago.

My mabari hound, Sawyer, started to bark at the door and Carver burst in, covered in blood. "We have to get out of here now," he simply stated as he absent-mindedly pet the dog.

I grabbed my staff and placed it on my back along with my satchel. "He's right. If we don't leave now, we'll all die." I thought we would be safe but I was wrong.

I don't how long we ran; it felt like days. We were near Gwaren but we were being pursued by the horde. Luckily, we were all skilled. Bethany and I set the darkspawn on fire as Carver finished them off with a devastating hit from his sword. We were safe for a moment or so but we had no plan where to go. I didn't care where as long as we were safe.

Mother suggested Kirkwall but Bethany and I were skeptical. Two mages wouldn't blend in well with all the templars running around Kirkwall. Besides, it would take us over two weeks to get there and I didn't want to be holed up in a ship for that long. Although, we didn't have much of a choice. We decided to go to Gwaren but we were stopped by a templar and his wife, Aveline.

Aveline amazed and frightened me the first time I saw her decapitate a darkspawn with her sword. A reminder not to anger her in the future. She was skilled, that's for damn sure. Her husband, not as much, considering he got his arm sliced by a darkspawn. As soon as he saw us, he was ready to arrest us. Lucky for us, his wife intervened.

Aveline informed us that they would assist us and that we could only go South to the Kocari Wilds. Carver, being as pessimistic as ever, didn't want go. We had no choice though. We had to move and fast. We sliced and burned our way through darkspawn and as we started into the Wilds, we were ambushed by an Ogre.

I dodged out of the way with the others but Bethany stood her ground, protecting Mother. "Bethany, look out," I called out to her but she didn't hear me. The Ogre blocked her magic and grabbed her. With sickening thuds, she was thrown away like she was an old toy it grew bored of.

Mother rushed over to her body, trying to wake her up. My eyes narrowed as I seethed with anger. Carver and I charged with Aveline in tow. We showed no mercy as we fought the Ogre. It fell and we rushed over to Mother, who held a lifeless Bethany. I fought back the tears as I choked out, "Bethany gave her life to save you, Mother."

She gave me a glare. "I never wanted a hero for a daughter. You could have stopped her. Oh my poor sweet Bethany," she cried out as she cradled Bethany in her arms.

Carver knelt beside me. "We can't stay here forever, weeping like little children. If we don't move, we'll end up like her."

I couldn't believe how heartless he was being. His twin, our sister, was just killed in front of us and he was just shrugging it off like it was nothing. Wesley, the templar, stood beside my mother and prayed my sister's soul. He wasn't a bad templar after all, just trying to do his duty.

"We need to go," I state as we stand to leave but we were too late. More of the horde had come and we had to fight, once again for our lives. This was getting tiresome. Before we even could start fighting, we heard a giant roar behind us. We turned and saw a dragon swoop down, burning the darkspawn in its path. We jumped to the ground at the last second, holding our hands over our head. I didn't even know dragons still existed but I sure as hell was grateful for the help. As it landed, it changed into an older woman with white hair made to look like the horns.

She dragged a flaming spawn behind her as she sauntered closer. She dropped the Hurlock and placed a hand on her hips, asking us what were doing here. Talk about a dragon with attitude. She introduced herself as Flemeth, a Witch of the Wilds. Carver didn't want to trust her but again, we didn't have a choice. We had to Gwaren and quickly.

She offered to take us only to Gwaren if I did something in return. She wanted me to take this amulet to the clan of Dalish elves near Kirkwall. Super. More people that will hate me. I agreed, much to my brother's displeasure. I didn't care. I wanted to help my family get somewhere safe.

Last order of business: killing Aveline's husband, unfortunately. He had the taint in his blood and it was turning him into a darkspawn quickly. I felt remorse for Aveline and decided to let her show him mercy. I looked away out of respect as she stabbed him with a knife. It was quick and painless, I hoped.

We had to move, now. We followed Flemeth to Gwaren where we took ship. We were packed in with other escaping Fereldens. My brother was getting on my nerves about how everything was so horrible and that it was all my fault Bethany was killed. I heard enough of that from my mother, I didn't need it from him as well. When I couldn't stand him any more, I would walk out onto the deck and watch the Waking Sea. I had always wanted to be a pirate when I was younger. No one to order me around, just me and the sea. Of course, a few beautiful ladies on each side of me. That never hurts.

Any way, two weeks went by slowly. We finally docked into Kirkwall, the City of Chains. I walked off and breathed a breath of fresh air. My eye narrowed as I saw the old slave statues. I could tell already that I would not like it here. We walked into the Gallows after a guardsmen directed us in to Captain Ewald.

We got off to a wonderful start. Not. We had to help him beat these thugs that were trying to bully their way into Kirkwall. We tried to pursued him to let us through because we had family here, my mother's youngest brother, Gamlen. He promised to inform us when he arrived. That is if he found him.

I watched Aveline pace three days later. Like me, she wasn't the patient type. I glanced over and I saw an older man walk over to us. "I think that's him, Mother," I said as I pushed off from the wall I was leaning on.

I watched as they hugged but I could tell Gamlen didn't want to be embraced. He shared his condolences about Father dying and our house being destroyed. Mother asked about the estate that she grew up in. He said it was gone. I frowned inwardly. Something was fishy about my so-called "uncle".

He promised us we could stay with him and he could get us in, by selling us into indentured servitude. Wonderful. Our options were Athenril, a smuggler and Meeran, a mercenary. I didn't really want to kill people for a living, especially if I didn't know how they wronged the Red Iron.

I went with the safer option: smuggling. I walked over to the her. She wanted us to get some money back from her "business partner". I walked off with Aveline and Carver behind me, ready to do whatever it took to prove herself. We watched as he harassed a Ferelden woman with his guard. I frowned. They treated my countrymen like we were trash and they were superior.

He finally turned his attention to us. "Now what can I help you with, serah?" he asked kindly.

I grinned sadistically to myself. "You owe Athenril money, I believe. Aveline, care to step in here?"

She stepped up with a knife out right at his neck before he or his guard could move. "Either you pay or I'll beat it out of you and your man," she threatened.

The guard wanted to attack her but his employer throw us the key and ran off. I unlocked the chest it went to and picked up two sovereigns. I sighed. Too bad I had to give it away. I walked confidently back to Athenril and handed her money back.

She thanked us and went to go get the arrangements ready for us to get into Kirkwall. I stood and looked at Gallows once more. This was home, for now. I only wished Bethany was here with us. I smiled at my family and lead them into Kirkwall.

Thus beginning my journey into unknown territory. I couldn't shake this horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen here and I was going to right in the middle. I shook my head. Whatever happens, I'll be ready.

**A/N: I know it's there's not enough dialogue but it promise it will get better later on. I wanted to show how I would have felt during the game. Please comment and favorite. I'll be updating, hopefully, a lot. **


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